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Thursday, January 5, 2012

Is ESPN playing around? Who is Joshua Macciello?

Friday January 6 - 10am. Got a update.... Read at the bottom.

Did anyone hear ESPN Radio earlier today? A guy by the name of Joshua Macciello was on the Mason & Ireland show. Macciello wants to purchase the Dodgers and has big plans.

Please hear the interview by clicking here. When you're done, come back here.

I really enjoyed his enthusiasm. He seems to have passion and wants to win.

This is the problem, it sounds to good to be true. Who in the heck is Joshua Macciello? According to ESPN, he's a mining billionaire. He runs a company called "ARMITAL Entertainment". Click here for his website.

From ARMITAL -

Over the years, ArmItal Entertainment has built strong ties with the biggest names among some of the world's largest developer partners. Whether it is an entertainment complex, an International airport, a hospital or a convention center, ArmItal Entertainment will deliver your turn-key development project on time, within budget and at approved levels of quality. As such, ArmItal Entertainment will utilize its complete arsenal of strong development and finance relationships, both on institutional and personal levels, to maximize quality, efficiency and the collective bottom line for all partners involved.

The website is a quick rundown of the company but doesn't say much.

I search for "Joshua Macciello" on Forbes and CNN Money and I can't find anything. A bit odd to not find much if he's a billionaire.

I sent Joshua the following e-mail.

Hi Josh,

I heard you earlier today on ESPN Radio. Are you for real? Enjoyed the enthusiasm! Good luck sir!

By the way, I have a Dodgers blog. Check it out when you're not busy. Thank you.

Roberto Baly

He replied within ten minutes....

Roberto,

Thank you for tuning in today. I know most people are not going to know what to believe, if I am a real possibility or not but I will tell you direct my friend.. I AM 100% for real and as we get closer to this deal finalizing you will see myself and my team as one of the groups making the right steps to take over the Dodgers and bringing LA a championship. You can blog that on your blog in BOLD letters!!!! Feel free to email me anytime. I am a people person and if I don't get back to you right away I apologize.

Joshua Macciello

CEO, Armital Entertainment LLC

Co-chairman, Armital LLC

I thanked him for getting back to me and I wished him luck.

If this is some joke by ESPN then I have been fooled.

Read the comments of Mason & Ireland's Facebook fan page. Click here. Most readers think this is a joke by ESPN and believe there is no Joshua Macciello.

I would think ESPN wouldn't play like that but what do I know?

What do you think?

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Update - Friday January 6. 10am

Joshua has sent me a follow up e-mail this morning. - - -

Roberto,

Good Morning and thanks for having me on. I finally had a chance to listen to the interview late last night and with all due respect, I would like to clarify a MISNOMER, I am by no means a billionaire just yet. I am chairmen and CEO of a company Armital which controls assets that are worth billions of dollars that are at our disposal. This being my first public speaking, interview one begins to realize it goes by as fast as your wedding day and you don't realize how you are being portrayed. Myself along with my partners have billions in minerals which we control and also gives us the power to pull off the bid and possible purchase of the Dodgers. I felt after hearing the show late last night that this must clarified. Thanks again and I look forward to talking lots more in the future... As the Dodger owner.

25 comments:

There was a Joshua Macciello quoted in a 2001 LA Times article as saying he liked the beefed up security at Dodger Stadium after 9/11. In 2005, the name turned up in the Daily News as someone who played in a Sunday baseball league in Burbank.

I googled the guy and found a Josh Macciello who is listed as a notable alumnus as an entrepreneur from some high school in Tampa from 1991-1993 which would fit his age (18 in 1993 translates to 36 years old today). Also shown was some affiliation with the Florida Marlins for the same guy from 1995-96. I wonder if this is the same guy that we heard on Ireland and Mason. Even though he said he grew up in Brooklin, NY, its very conceivable that he may be the same as the guy from Tampa since so many New Yorkers move to Tampa.I think this is legit. I doubt Mason and Ireland would pull this on us as a stunt. Its not that inconceivable that he is a billionaire we never heard of. I once met another billionaire I had never heard of - Bill Bartmann. Look him up. He almost bought the Chicago Bulls (so he told me).

"Joshua Macciello formally began his business career on the New York Stock Exchange where he quickly learned the ins and outs of money and business management. He eventually moved to Los Angeles to begin a career in entertainment. Macciello first worked as a talent scout on VH1¿s reality television show ¿But Can They Sing?¿, and later moved to the production side on the hit show ¿Deal or No Deal.¿ Macciello discovered that his true interest was on movie production and began optioning and developing scripts, ultimately finding himself developing a project with acclaimed agent and producer Arnold Rifkin (Cheyenne). Soon after, Macciello formed Lorain Avenue Production with three partners. Macciello was born in Brooklyn, NY. Macciello lives in Studio City, California, with his wife of 10 years and their three beautiful Children."

That's a old bio I'm married 12 yrs now going on 13 soon. If all you guys listened to the interview I am considered "new money" guys. When your company owns assets as my company owns which by the way I accumulated over the past 6-9 months you will not see we in the forums all of you expecting to see me on.

If you guys are truly looking for a person to put the Dodgers back on track and winning world series then I am your man. And the last sentence of my last blog we should be me.. Lol. Go Dodgers!!!!!! Thank you vinskullyismyhomeboy blog.

I implore you to google and read up on Bill Bartmann, a former billionaire with whom I had the pleasure of dining three years ago. You'll see a man who really took care of his employees and one who was completely screwed by the U.S. government. I'd hate to see your wealth squandered if you do become the new Dodgers owner. We need the likes of Prince Fielder, not what we got this off season (the exception being the locking up of Kemp).

Just curious, what was your affiliation with the Florida Marlins from 1995-96?

Wow!! All I can say is wow!. The man posted a comment himself! Wow! Josh good luck sir! If you ever need a GM hit me up I'm a beast on MLB 2k11 I brought fielder and mauer over in trades and I'm still under salary for 2013!! Boom!!

The homepage of the website has a link to the interview he did. This seems like a strange thing to promote if it's your business site. The running News ticker on the left panel has nothing to do with anything on his website.

I called the number 1-888-9RM-ITAL and the voice message said "Thank you for calling 123 Assist..." Unfortunately, looking up that number in Google shows that people have received charges to their phone when that service cuts in - so I will need to watch my phone bill.

I looked up the names Arthur Gaplanyanand Gevork Mkrtchyan and there are only a couple in the US - both happened to live in Burbank, CA (as opposed to Nevada) which is coincidental?

No affiliation to the marlins. I was set up to be a draft and follow until I snapped my bicep tendon. People online keep posting information that is not true. I want to be clear the reason I'm not on Forbes is I'm not a Billionaire. Mason and Ireland reported I was a billionaire but that was a misunderstanding. I will be a billionaire as time develops with these assets but currently I am chairmen and CEO of a company (Armital) that controls Billions in mineral mines which gives us the power and assets to pull off a purchase such as the Dodgers. This is no way a hoax or deception we have more than enough ability and assets to pull this buyout off. And I feel we will win this bid and take the Dodgers back to the world series to win another title.

Josh Macciello is a real Person! Also Josh is a Great Father and a Great Husband! When can a fan even begin to dream about buying a Major League Baseball Team? The answer is usually in your drunken dreams right? In the Case of Josh Macciello...Dreams do come true! I have been working as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff for 13 years. And if I ever wanted a partner, it would be Josh Macciello! The City of Los Angeles should welcome a genuine fan of the game as the New Owner of The Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball Team!!! Go get'em Josh!!!

Hey Josh, I am a long time Dodger fan and Season Ticket holder. I have not renewed my tickets for 2012 season as I felt totally ripped off the last couple years. The Dodgers are more than double what other Major League stadiums charge and for a weak team in an aging stadium with limited and over-priced vendors. Any thoughts on revisiting prices?

That is definitely one of the topics my team and plan to address expeditiously. In fact, we are working on many different ways to make the games more affordable and more importantly, safe for all fans to attend.

Josh so if you have mining assests: name a few of the mines you are involved in or explain the process of mining or how to move large sums of money via international banks so you can buy the Dodgers. I say this is a hoax.

Another dreamer that is just out for themselves or one huge Maddoff scheme.

How is the World Series of Poker treating you? There is a photo of this guy. Just Google Poker Joshua Macciello. His claim to fame is a good poker player. Guess what LA he is bluffing. Why would a Multi-Millionaire soon to be Billionaire waste his time at a poker event? I bet this dude plays at that local card clubs in LA county. Anyone see him?